Then it all came back to me--that summer day when I saw him drive into Waterville with four white horses and a big red van, and the wonderful lady at his side, and how, later, I sold my stock of goods to him. “I think that my danger is passed,” said McCarthy; “she has found bigger game.” That historic day of February 19, 1868, had begun, and yet none of all those who crowded the Street and its offices before eleven o'clock knew what was going on, save two, and we had just seen one of them. Not even the Commodore, who sat calmly smoking in his office on Fourth Street, had any suspicion of the frightful snare that lay before him until midday. We found him there at two o'clock. He had invested some five million dollars in Erie stock that day, and held more, even, than was authorized by the charter of the road. “Mr. Vanderbilt, it seems to me that this Erie stock comes very easy,” said the gentleman. The Commodore was wearing his railroad look. “Yes; they're up to their old tricks,” said he, with an oath. “They're running a printingpress. They've been enjoined from issuing more stock, but they've no fear of God or the courts.” “I do not think that they are printing new stock,” said McCarthy, “nor do I think that the Erie Company is technically disobeying the court.” “What, then?” the Commodore demanded. “Well, when the injunction was served there was probably a large amount of stock all duly signed and sealed in the stock-books. I have reason to think that Fisk has stolen the books and put the stock on the market.” The Commodore ripped out an oath. “I'll put 'em behind the bars--the suckers!” he exclaimed, with some vehemence. “I suppose you'll stop buying,” said the gentleman. “Buying! How can I stop buying?” said Mr. Vanderbilt. “I've got to take all the stock they offer.” He turned away from us, and, as we were leaving, added: “If you have information, put it in writing and let me have it to-morrow.” “I will,” said my friend. “It's the most deadly trap I ever heard of,” said the gentleman, as we hurried away. “He's got to keep buying the stock as fast as they offer, it. If he doesn't, it will go to nothing and ruin about every one in the Street, including himself, for probably he's borrowed millions on the stock as collateral. And the lower it goes the richer Fisk and his party will become, for they have sold it short; and if the Commodore holds it even they will grow still richer, for they have only to tear it out of the book and hand it over. They have got him between two fires, so that he has to provide them with the weapons for his own destruction. His own fortune is being hurled against him.” “Why do they wish to ruin him?”' “Why, their only hope of escape is in his ruin. Don't you see that if they bring him to his knees they have nothing to fear? Otherwise they may go to prison.” We walked in silence for a moment.